


Comprehend

by winterhats



Series: The Wonderful Today [2]
Category: Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: All fankids but Seto's here too!, Gen, Next Gen, and mentions of others of course, self indulgence...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24086446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterhats/pseuds/winterhats
Summary: A story about Seto and Mary's daughter Shion and her struggle to understand friendship.
Relationships: Original Male Character & Original Female Character, implied harutaka - Relationship, implied setomary
Series: The Wonderful Today [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1404253
Kudos: 13





	Comprehend

**Author's Note:**

> Very self indulgent.

The broom hits the floor with another loud noise, making Shion wince.

Why couldn't she spin the stupid broom with her hand imitating the cool pen trick where you spin it in your fingers? Like it was too much to ask or something!

She gives up on that and picks the broom back up, this time using both her hands to spin it in the air, "By the name recorded on my body... I INVOKE YOUR OPENING, PORTAL TO THE NEXT DIMENSION!"

No big magic circle appears in the air, much to Shion's dismay but understanding. She's just fooling around, anyway.

There's no way a portal to another dimension would open with the wooden school broom! She'd have to do a proper ritual for it to happen, duh. But it was worth a shot, she guesses.

_Worth a shot if it means I won't die of boredom._

Shion hates chores no matter the place. She hates doing her bed in the morning and she hates brushing her hair. So of course, having cleaning duty at school is one of the worst things ever.

With this thought she looks around the empty classroom, sighing in annoyance. Maybe it wouldn't suck so bad if her cleaning buddy had been her best friend Konoha instead of some loser who was like "aw, sorry, Seto-san! I have something really important to take care of, I'm sure you can handle it by yourself!"

Losers! All losers!

Well, it's not like Shion cares anyway. She prefers doing this all by herself than to put up with some whiny classmate who would intend to have pointless chatter to pass the time.

Still, it's such a pain! She thinks about how Konoha must've gone home already, and the idea sends a shiver up her spine. It's not like she likes walking home with him because she's scared of the dark and hates walking back alone... it's that Konoha gets distracted with every little plant and insect he sees and like that, he's a vulnerable boy who could get mugged or something! Shion is there to protect him and because of things like cleaning duties she can't do it today. Ugh. So annoying.

Though, considering it– if this is the case, maybe Konoha hasn't made it home yet. Maybe he's still halfway there or something, so if she rushes, they could meet? 

Hmmm... yes, yes. Sounds like a good plan.

She takes her phone out to text him when the classroom door suddenly opens. Hm, seems like her useless cleaning buddy felt guilty after all...

Already preparing a snarky comment in her mind, Shion turns around, but she doesn't see her cleaning buddy standing at the door.

It's still one of her classmates though, and _not_ one of her favourites.

It's not like she likes anyone in her class besides Konoha, but whatever. This one girl is part of the group of girls who are always laughing at her during PE class and on more than one occassion have stuck pencils in her braid. Basically, this girl and her friends are a simple waste of space on their humble classroom. No, not only classroom– a waste of space in the world!

Shion frowns, "What do you want?"

The girl blinks at her, as if finally reacting, "Ah, Seto-san! Hello, I'm Nakamura Mai, from your class. I sit at the back so maybe you haven't seen me much."

Nakamura is a petite girl with dark long hair and shiny olive skin. Her bangs are usually held in place with hairpins, and everyday they're different and vary in colors and designs. She's what most people would call a really pretty girl.

Shion, who is what people usually call a really messy girl, is annoyed by the mere sight of her. Nakamura's eyes scan the classroom, and she leans inside to peep better. She's obviously looking for something, but it's not like Shion gives a damn.

So she rolls her eyes, "I _know_ who you are. Just what are you doing here? Forgot something?"

"I– uuum, yeah! I did! You're on cleaning duty, right? Have you seen anything?"

"No, not really. What is it, though? It'd be difficult to look for it if I don't even know what it is."

"Hmm... a pencil pouch?" Nakamura offers, but it seemed more like a question. And Shion isn't an idiot; it's obvious this girl didn't actually lose something. Though, what that brought was a mystery of _what_ is Nakamura Mai _actually_ looking for... and Shion loves mysteries.

Shion hums, "And what colour is this alleged pencil pouch?"

"Pink," her classmate answers, more surely this time. However, she kept looking around. "Just tell me if you find it, okay?"

 _"Just tell me if you find it, okay?"_ ugh, such a selfish little rat. Why won't she come forward and look (or at least pretend to look!) in her desk instead of putting the job on Shion! It's obvious there's no lost pink pencil pouch but still, can't she at least put effort in her acting!? Or would she be this inconsiderate if she really had a lost item!?

Shion can only roll her eyes again, " _Sure,_ whatever."

This girl gets on her nerves to the point she doesn't even have the energy to solve this mystery. Go die, Nakamura Mai, you and your mysterious sudden appearance.

Nakamura offers a smile, one of those picture perfect smiles only mean pretty girls like her manage, "Thanks! I'll see you tomorrow then, good luck with cleaning duty."

What a good classmate would do is say "oh, where's your cleaning buddy? What do you mean they left!? No way, let me help!" but of course someone like her wouldn't do that. She's not a good person, let alone a good classmate.

Shion doesn't answer, and instead goes back to sweeping the floor, though she can't help sulking. Way to ruin an already bad evening.

However, as Nakamura seemed to be about to slide the door closed, Shion hears a familiar voice from the hallway.

"Ah, Nakamura-san. Sorry I'm late."

"Ko – Kokonose-kun!"

Shion feels her brain melting inside her head.

Nakamura was now looking at her side, where Konoha was probably standing.

He sounded as monotone as ever, "I forgot you asked me to meet up in the classroom... I was going back home and then I remembered–"

"AHHHH, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Nakamura nervously sputters out, looking in between out and in the classroom, clearly shaken about the fact Shion was standing right there. "I HAVE NO MEMORY OF ASKING FOR SUCH A THING."

"Well, you left a note in my shoe locker?" Konoha hums. "And then during break you asked me if I got it–"

"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! I JUST CAME HERE TO FIND MY PENCIL SHARPENER!"

Shion speaks up with the little bit of consciousness that hadn't drifted away, "...Don't you mean pencil pouch?"

"YES, THAT!" Nakamura holds on her school bag, and even with only the sunset lighting the room, Shion could see her red face as clear as day. "I'LL– I'LL BE GOING NOW... SEE YOU!"

And just like that, their classmate runs off. Shion drops the broom once again.

At the sound, Konoha pops up at the classroom door that Nakamura left open, "Oh, Shion. You haven't gone home yet?"

"I – I..." she was in such shock she couldn't even speak properly. She gulps, noticing how dry her throat had became, "I had cleaning duty."

"Oh," Konoha looks around the classroom. "Where's your cleaning buddy?"

"Didn't want to deal with it and left early."

"Oh," he repeats. There's a pause, but then he comes in, closing the door behind him. "Then I'll help you."

He offers her a smile as he picks up the broom, but Shion can't bring herself to answer.

* * *

A girl slipping a note in a boy's shoe locker. Said note says "meet me in the classroom after school~" or something like that. The girl happens to be a brainless pig who doesn't know there's cleaning duty at that time and both the boy and girl run into another girl who was simply doing her chores.

And what would someone who asks another person to meet them in the classroom after school want to say, huh? What? Well, they'd confess, of course. That's quite the popular phenomenon these days.

Not that Shion ever cared about stuff like that. Thing is, when the boy is a boy like Konoha and the girl is a girl like Nakamura Mai, things get tricky. What would a girl like that want to do with a boy like him? 

How would a girl like that even grow to appreciate a boy like him?

This girl's friend group has been tormenting Shion ever since the first day of school. Despite also being a girl, Shion is simply another species compared to those wretched beings. And Konoha, the kid who likes making mud pies to let worms live in them, is simply _not_ what the particular species of girl Nakamura is, likes.

So... why?

All Shion can think of is one of Nakamura's equally evil friends dared her, or maybe it was a group idea in which they'd make fun of Konoha or something like that. It's cruel, but it's what makes the most sense. 

Except that... it's obvious Nakamura is everything but good at acting, given the entire pencil pouch situation. And when Konoha entered the picture, her embarrassment and nervousness seemed completely genuine...

 _Unless..._ the bad acting was part of it all along! To make the blush and embarrassment even more believable!

Dang, she's good... It's scary to the point evil girls go only to make fun of others...

...Unless...

She really does like Konoha, and she really does want to confess to him. And Konoha, because he's Konoha, he'll accept with no hesitation thinking it's just the polite thing to do. And then they'll start dating, and walking home together everyday, and when Shion calls him to hang out a Sunday afternoon he'll say "I can't, I'm hanging out with my girlfriend today!" and–

"Big sis, you're doing it again," a soft voice speaks from behind Shion, making her jump in her seat. And she had been leaning back on her chair, balancing it on only the back legs, so when she gets jump scared by her little sister she lands the chair quite forcibly. "I'll tell mom if you keep doing that."

"Hana, stop creeping on me like that!" Shion shrieks. "Also, what are you gonna tell mom?"

"That you keep leaning on the chair like that," Hana simply answers, poker faced as ever. "You know she always tells you to stop."

"Like I care," she huffs. "I have more important things to take care of than to deal with your childish threats."

Hana is not someone who has a lot to say, so she doesn't snap back at Shion's answer, even if she puffed up her cheeks in slight annoyance. Instead, she quietly went back to mushing flowers petals with her mortar and pestle, making what she insists to be magic brew. Shion thinks that's cool and all, but it's kind of creepy how Hana plants flowers solely to mush them into a paste later on.

She sighs, feeling at least a little bit guilty, "What are you making?"

The other girl looks up from her activity and looks her dead in the eye, "Eternal life."

Shion nods, "Cool."

Their shared bedroom falls silent again, only leaving the sound of Hana's petals and who knows what else being grinded together inside a bowl. 

Hm... well, asking your little sister for advice is probably not the most popular idea, but Shion's little sister is not just any little sister. Hana is always collected, doesn't speak if she doesn't need to, and spends most of her time gardening or putting dead flowers in water bottles.

In Shion's opinion, that's the most trustworthy kind of person. 

So, clearing her throat, she speaks up again, "So. Hana, I have an issue I'd like a little help with."

Hana doesn't stop mushing and in response she only hums.

"What would you do if a mean person was planning to do something bad to someone you care about?"

The other girl's expression softens, and looks up from the mush to look at her. Unlike her, Hana has short and really straight hair, and her bangs covered almost half of her eyes. Shion loosely remembers her mom saying yesterday that they needed to take Hana for a haircut soon, but even with her bangs like that, she's able to see the determination in her sister's eyes.

"Bully?" Hana simply says. Shion nods.

"Bully."

"I hate bullies," she says. Shion nods again. "Destroy the enemy."

"But how?"

"I can make a magical brew to destroy your enemies," Hana offers, and Shion hums considering it. "But it's gonna take me a while to grow and get the ingredients... maybe like a month, a month and a half."

"I can't wait that long..." Shion sighs. "But thanks anyway."

Hana sends her thumbs up and continues mushing. Shion sighs again.

Maybe asking her wasn't a good idea after all... because if anything, this is an issue of a social nature. Shion isn't the most social person, having a total of one friend, and somehow Hana wins against her at being antisocial.

Of course, if you ask her, Hana will say she has hundreds of friends, but imaginary friends and plants don't count as real friends for the average person. Shion respects and believes in Hana's friends, but for this issue, it seems she's gonna need a more average view on sociable situations.

She's gonna need someone like...

"Dad, I need your help."

Her father, Seto Kousuke, having been in the middle of an important belly rub for their dog, looks up at her rather surprised. Welcoming, but surprised nonetheless, "Sure thing, princess! What do you need?"

Her dad has this annoying habit of calling Shion and Hana princesses. Shion keeps insisting it's stupid, because monarchy is a prison and the idea around princesses has been romanticized thanks to kids' cartoons, and neither of her parents are royal. He never answers anything but "but your mom's a queen!" so she has given up on trying to explain it to him.

Because, again, her dad has an average understanding of approximately everything. And that is just what she needs right now.

(Her mom does too, but Shion avoids talking to her mom if possible. Mary is always unhappy with Shion's mystery-solving heart, and that is simply dissappointing when it comes to investigating red eyes and family secrets).

"If it's homework maybe we should wait for mom to get back home from the store. I'm not very good at that kind of thing," her dad laughs sheepishly, but she ignores him.

"No," Shion sits on the couch, and looks down at Seto who continued to rub the dog's tummy. "I have... this problem, of social nature."

"Oh?" he muses, finally leaving the dog alone to sit criss-crossed on the carpet. The dog, still wagging its tail and refusing to give up on affection, lunges for his lap. Of course, he welcomes it happily. "What is it?"

"So," she begins, but quickly realizes she has absolutely no idea how to explain such a thing. The last thing she would do was admit to her father there's girls at school who bother her, because he'll make a big fuss about it and it's gonna be a pain... So, how to talk about it without mentioning that detail...? "Well... I have this classmate at school, right?"

"Okay, classmate."

"Yes, classmate. And she seems to have a crush on Konoha. And she wants to confess to him."

Seto's eyes widen and his smile fades, as if he wasn't expecting it to take this turn at all, "...Oh, it's something of _that_ nature."

She doesn't know what he means by that, but she simply carries on, "Yeah and– well, you know Konoha, poor sweet and clueless Konoha. I have the feeling he's just gonna accept this girl's feelings without even thinking about it because he's that stupid. Like, maybe he won't even understand it's a declaration of love and he'll say yes. They'll start going out and he won't even know they're going out! And worse, he won't even understand the humiliation when the girl reveals it all to be a FARCE!"

"Wow, wow! Shion, calm down!" Seto puts a hand on hers, making her realize just how stiff she had became while speaking. She relaxes her body, but maintains her determination. Seto sees this, and simply rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, "Um... well, I don't really understand the whole "farce" part, but... maybe you should just _talk_ to Konoha about it?"

Shion blinks at him, "Huh?"

"Well, explain to him what it means to have someone tell you something like this, right?" he smiles. "If you tell him to be honest with his feelings, there's no way he'll mistake it, and the girl will–"

Seto pauses for a second, leaving Shion expectant and curious over his next words. He seemed to be having a mental realization, whereas Shion was just impatient, "Dad?"

He comes back, but now the expression he wore was one of pure bliss and emotion. She was almost disgusted by it.

"Oh, Shion..." practically teary-eyed, Seto took her small hands in his again, "J – just talk to Konoha, okay? I'm sure he'll understand and he'll properly accept your feelings– I mean, _"your classmate's"_ feelings! Okay?"

"...Okay?" Shion answers, confused. And it only gets even more confusing when her dad lunges for a hug, muttering something about how big she's gotten.

"Good luck, princess!"

Shion only looks at him like he's insane when he breaks apart, but Seto seems too emotional over who knows what to even care.

* * *

Hehehe.

As weird as her conversation with her dad had been yesterday, he gave Shion the social advice she needed. _Just talk to Konoha!_

Of course, how didn't she think of that! It's so obvious.

So, on this fine Thursday morning, she greets her best friend with vigor, "KONOHA!"

"Hi, Shion," Konoha offers, wearing the same tiny smile from always. "You seem in a good mood."

They begin their usual walk to school with the same energy as everyday, except Shion has a purpose to accomplish on this walk today. She has a mission, and it's of upmost importance, to save her best friend from the inevitable humiliation that horrible girl wants to put him under!

She just wishes it'd be easy to accomplish, because the thing she needs to do is no more than talk to Konoha about _feelings._

And that is not her forte. ...And also it's embarrassing.

She clenches her teeth as she listens to Konoha ramble about something. Konoha is a lot like Hana in some ways; both quiet, they speak slowly and softly, they have a poker face most of the time. The difference is, Konoha, despite being slow paced, enjoys chatting.

Liking to chat isn't a good combination with his sluggishness, most would say. But it's useful sometimes, like when you start listening to what he's saying halfway and still understand it because he's taken so long to talk he really hasn't gotten to the half in the first place.

"–And so, my mom was like, "you aren't eating until you put the door back up!" and then my sister was like "fine! I don't wanna eat anyway!" and now we don't have a front door. Well, we do, but it's on the ground."

Shion nods absently, "...Yeah, okay. Listen, I wanna talk about something."

"Oh," Konoha nods. "Okay."

"It's, um. A bit awkward," she clears her throat, going quiet, maybe expecting Konoha to say something. When she looks at him, he's only watching her expectantly, because he's just like that. Okay, of course Konoha won't say anything. "So, you know Nakamura from our class?"

"Yeah," he says, and Shion is already taken back.

Konoha doesn't remember half the names of the people in their class, and that's already saying too much. He doesn't even remember faces or attributes, really, he's just the worst at that kind of thing. So for him to remember who Nakamura is was already strange.

Shion continues, because being weirded out doesn't mean she has to give up, "Sooo... well, you know what it means when someone asks you to meet up after school or something like that?"

He's silent for a second, as if he's considering the answer, "They probably want to say something in private to you."

"Exactly!" Shion beams. "So, when Nakamura asks you to meet after school, what do you think she's gonna say to you?"

Konoha frowns, "Well, if it's private, I shouldn't be saying it out loud."

_THIS GUY..._

He really thinks she's being nosy!? Can't he understand she's just looking out for him!? Curse Konoha and his polite little heart!

"Konoha, work with me. I'm trying to give you a life lesson."

"I don't think a good life lesson includes talking about someone else's privacy..." he says. "Especially since Nakamura-san asked me not to tell anyone."

"...What?" Shion squints. "When did she say that? Yesterday she left in a hurry, you helped me clean and then we went home together. When would she have the time to say that to you?"

"Hm? Just some other time we met up."

"... _That wasn't the first time you guys met up?"_

"No?" Konoha tilts his head to the side. "Why?"

"Wh– wh–"

This just got more and more suspicious with time!

God, she should've figured talking to Konoha would be absolutely useless. _That's_ why it didn't cross her mind in the first place; talking to Konoha is like talking to a wall sometimes! Thanks for nothing, dad!

"Ugh, nevermind!" she shakes her head. "I'll try something else."

"Okay?" Konoha says, and they spend the rest of the walk in silence.

Shion checks all the bathroom stalls to make sure they're all empty. Well, all except one.

As soon as Nakamura walks out of the only occupied one, Shion ambushes her.

"KYA!" Nakamura yells, because of course she makes that stupid little "kya" scream when startled. When she sees it's just Shion, she forces a polite smile, "O – Oh, Seto-san, it's just you! You scared me, hahaha."

Shion only stands in front of her with crossed arms, fulminating her with a glare. It obviously puts Nakamura on edge.

"U – um, did you end up finding my pencil sharpener or–"

"It was a pencil pouch, at least stick to your story, okay?" Shion spits out and Nakamura looks down on defeat. She starts fiddling with her uniform's ribbon, so Shion has to push back the urge of yelling "BUSTED!" on her face. "Listen, what do you want with Konoha?"

"Kokonose-kun?" Nakamure innocently asks, and Shion doesn't miss the way she looks away. "I – I don't know what you're referring to~"

God, this girl really sucked at acting. That just made the whole thing even more complicated. Is she a good actress or not!?

" _I'm referring_ to the fact you asked to meet up with him! Several times, apparently!" Shion stomps her foot on the floor. "Listen, you might think it's cool to make fun of others, but it's not! So don't go around taking advantage of Konoha's kindness! If you confess to him only to make fun of him, the joke's on you, _because he wouldn't even understand it's a confession in the first place!"_

"Wh – wha–" Nakamura's face immediately goes red, and before Shion could carry on, the girl blurts out, "I don't have a crush on Kokonose-kun!"

"I know you don't!" Shion points an accussing finger at her. "But you were still planning to confess to him just to laugh when he accepts you feelings out of politeness because Konoha is just _that_ brand of idiot, isn't it!?"

"What!? Of course not!" the other girl raises her voice in shock, but whatever she was gonna say next gets interrupted by the door opening.

A girl enters the bathroom, making both Nakamura and Shion go quiet. They stand there, completely silent, and listen to the girl go inside one of the stalls.

...

The girl gets out. Washes her hands. Sends a weird look over the two girls that stood there frozen, and gets out.

As soon as she does, Nakamura resumes shaking her head to say, "Th – the whole meeting up thing it's– it's a misunderstanding, it's not like that at all, I swear! And I'd never do something as cruel as confessing just to make fun of him!"

"Yeah, right," Shion rolls her eyes, but Nakamura insists,

"I swear!" she looks down, a gloomy aura taking over her mannerism. "I – I see why you'd think I'm that sort of person, Seto-san. I know how much my friends torment you."

Shion feels her own eyebrow twitch, but she holds the frown, "Funny how you don't include yourself in that."

"Y – yes, I admit I've been present in these things and I've– I've done nothing to stop it, and I might've even laughed with them..." Nakamura stutters out, her words genuinely painted in shame. But, again, Shion has no idea if this girl is just a weird person or if she's an evil twat with very good acting skills, so she says nothing. "But I swear I've never found any of those things actually funny. I swear. I'm sorry I've never done anything, I just– I just don't want them to do the same to me."

Shion feels her expression soften, and this time she can't help it from happening. Nakamura isn't looking at her, anyway. 

"I ran into Kokonose-kun on a weekend I was at the library," she begins to explain. "And, well, we were in the same section, and we were looking for the same, um, book series, but I said I couldn't afford the next book and he told me he had it so he's been lending me his copies."

"...Oh," oh. "Oh."

"Yeah," Nakamura nods, her face still pink from the discussion. "Th – that's it. That's all. I wasn't planning on doing anything bad to him! He– he's been so kind to me, not even asking why I prefer meeting up where no one sees, and telling me to take my time with my reading and keep the book for as long as I need... I'd never want to do anything to hurt him!"

"But... but I don't get it, all Konoha reads is–" Shion feels something light up in her head. "Ah. You don't seem like the type to read manga, Nakamura."

"THAT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT!" Nakamura suddenly yells again. "My friends wouldn't let me hear the _end_ of it if they found out I like reading manga! That's why I've been asking Kokonose-kun to avoid talking about it in public! I can't afford manga because I keep using my allowance to buy makeup and stuff... n – not that I don't like those things, but it feels like I'm staying behind if I don't do the same as them, you know...?"

Nakamura breathes heavily, as if she was venting out something she's been keeping in her chest for a long time. Shion can only blink at her, and then–

"Oh, wow," –and then, she can't help laughing. Kind of at herself, and kind of at Nakamura. " _Wow._ Those "friends" of yours suck."

Her classmate looks at her in confusion, simply going, "H – huh?"

"You're supposed to _like_ your friends, you know? How fun is it to hang out with people that intimidate you?"

Nakamura doesn't answer, and instead she looks down as if the question made her consider things she didn't want to consider.

"Sure, you and your dear friends might "torment" me, but that doesn't mean I'm miserable!" Shion explains. "Because I'm friends with someone like Konoha, who will lend me all the manga I want, in front of anyone, because who cares! We're only starting junior high and that sucks enough by itself to add that kind of thing on top of it. Give yourself a break, Nakamura."

The girl only stares at her, dumbfounded. But really, this isn't her problem anymore. She just needed to make sure she wouldn't hurt Konoha, so for all Shion cares, this is a mission accomplished.

So just like this, Shion turns on her heels to leave the bathroom.

"Se – Seto-san!"

She turns around with a raised eyebrow, "What?"

"You won't tell anyone about how I read manga, right?"

God.

Honestly, she doesn't even hide the way she rolls her eyes. No, not only that. _She makes sure_ Nakamura sees the way she rolls her eyes, "I reiterate: I'm not miserable. I have no reason to do something as petty as that."

And like that, Shion leaves.

"Ugh..."

"What's wrong, Shion?" Konoha inquires, as Shion looked at her bento lunch box with slight disgust.

"Tomatoes," she sticks her tongue out. "I keep saying I don't like them but my mom keeps putting them in my lunch box. Ugh! Why does she hate me so much?"

"I don't think she does it out of hatred..." he chuckles. "Tomatoes are healthy, she just wants you to be healthy!"

"I can be healthy some other way," she growls, pushing the cursed tomatoes aside with her chopsticks. "My mom keeps being like "oh, you'll like them as you get older!" she's so annoying! Like, whatever, right now I don't like them!"

"Yeah, and it's also a lie," Konoha says, and pauses his explanation to munch on his food. When he swallows, he speaks with a grain of rice stuck to his lip, "My mom hates tomatoes and she's old."

"You're always so hard on your parents about their age, seriously," Shion sighs, simply picking the tomatoes up to put them in Konoha's lunch box. "Whatever, just eat them for me."

"Yay!" Konoha beams, welcoming the tomatoes with such excitement it only makes Shion wanna barf. Who on earth would be excited to eat tomatoes? She even wipes her chopsticks with her napkin to liberate it from any remains of tomato flavor. "My dad never puts stuff I don't like in my lunch."

"That's because there's no food you don't like, dingus," Shion says. "And also when you say you don't like something your dad doesn't force you to eat it."

"True..." Konoha nods, and focuses back on devouring his lunch.

Shion goes back to it as well, but it's strange when there's suddenly someone hovering over their desks, so she can't help looking up at them.

Nakamura Mai. Of course.

Though, this time it was clearly weird. According to everything this girl said earlier in the day when Shion intervened with her, her reputation meant everything to her. So for her to walk over to the two outcasts during lunch break, in front of all their peers (or at least the ones who have lunch in the classroom), was just odd. 

Though before Shion could make a question, Nakamura speaks up with such determination in her voice that it only made it even stranger, "Can I have lunch with you guys!"

Shion is almost frozen in place with the request.

She peeps past her, where a group of girls sat together having lunch of their own, staring daggers at Nakamura's back. Some even chuckling and whispering amongst themselves, making Shion frown.

_So much for having friends, huh, Nakamura?_

However, before Shion could come up with an answer, Konoha replies, "Sure."

She immediately turns to him, almost glaring.

And then Konoha rethinks it, "I mean I don't mind. I don't think Shion does, either."

And when she turns to her, Shion locks eyes with Nakamura's puppy eyes expecting an answer. Shion can only grumble.

Well... given to how much they're glaring, it is true that it seems Nakamura had stood up to those awful girls and in return she was kicked off the clique. And if there was a reason for her to do that, it was Shion's words. If she hadn't said anything to her, Nakamura might as well just be sitting there with her usual group.

So, feeling like she didn't have another choice, Shion simply nods.

The desperate gratitude is present in Nakamura's eyes even before she says, "Thank you!"

Shion does her best to act uninterested during the entire circus in which Nakamura brings a third desk to theirs, even to the nonsense of Konoha offering a hand, all to the point of the girl opening up her own lunch to eat with them as well.

This situation was too bizarre, seriously. Why are Konoha and her having lunch with her might be the biggest mystery of all.

Whatever. Just ignore her.

...

"The battle sequence is so weirdly captivating! I'm usually not interested in that sort of thing, and if I am, I skip the fights, but this was sooo entertaining to read!"

"Right, right~ I told you so. I think it might be the art... it doesn't look busy at all, even if it's such an explosive thing. I hate having to look at many tiny details, I feel like I'm always missing something."

_KONOHA'S CONVERSING WITH HER! ABOUT MANGA! WHAT IS THIS!?_

Shion growls again, and simply puts another slice of tomato in Konoha's lunch. Her mom thinks she's really sly hiding some under her rice (and if that isn't enough, now a portion of her rice is contaminated by tomato. Thanks a lot, mom!).

Nakamura, having been engrossed in her conversation with Konoha, somehow pays attention to that, "Oh! Shion-chan, you don't like tomatoes?"

"No, I don't– HEY. Who said you could call me by my first name!?"

"I just think family names are so formal! You can call me Mai-chan if you want!" Nakamura smiles. Konoha nods,

"Mai-chan is easier to remember than Nakamura-san," he says, and Shion almost kicks him under their desk. How can he say something so rude, jeez!?

"Oh, I've been never been called by my first name by a boy," _Mai_ answers, and despite she had a small blush, her smile didn't budge. "But that's alright. Konoha-kun's been so kind to me until now, all I want to do is repay the favor."

Shion also needs to push back the urge to say "and who gave you permission to call _him_ by his first name!" but it's not like that won't be a really weird thing to say. Even she knows that'd be too much.

Now definitely sulking, Shion simply focuses on eating her food and pushing away the tomato-contaminated rice. _Whatever..._

A part of her wants to tell Mai to go away and throw those gross tomatoes on her face, because, _come on._ This is girl, though indirectly, had been a bully and people like her deserve absolutely no mercy!

But the other part of her wants to tell her it's okay, and knows that at the end of the day, Mai was as much of a victim as Shion was. Mai was just another lost soul who was weak to peer pressure, and she knows this.

So, maybe, Shion shouldn't be so unforgiving. And again, the whole reason Mai is sitting with them is that Shion told her her friends weren't real friends. So she needs to accept the consequences of her actions, isn't it? And really– this "consequence" just sounded like they were gonna have a new friend, and that didn't seem too terrible.

Sure, Shion prefers being alone. The only reason she even accepts Konoha is because he's known her since forever and he understands her, and doesn't shut her down like most new people do; like Mai will probably do. It was inevitable. People just don't understand Shion.

But... _but._ Just for now, she can keep those differences aside, at least until Mai finds someone better to waste her pathetic time on. So okay, whatever; Shion's willing to take the responsibility and put up with Mai being "her friend" for as long as the girl needs to be.

Deciding to announce her conclusion, Shion looks up from her food to speak, but instead finds Mai sitting closer to Konoha, happily brushing his hair with a hair brush, because of course she's the kind of person who brings a hair brush to school.

Konoha, who usually had his long hair up in a bun, happily munched on his food as Mai excitedly brushed his black hair, "Whoa~ Konoha-kun, your hair is so smooth and nice! You must take good care of it~"

...The fact that Mai and Shion are different species remains true, but maybe Konoha manages to be both species at once. That presented a problem to Shion, since it was probably inviting for Mai to feel comfortable in this group already.

She sighs. Junior high was gonna be a pain in the ass to get through.

**Author's Note:**

> I entertained the silly idea of adding a third person to Konoha and Shion's shenanigans for a while and that's how this silly thing was born. I thought it'd be funny to mix them up with a very conventional person, because I think Konoha would be able to appeal to all kinds of people but Shion wouldn't. He's just a nice boy~
> 
> I named her Nakamura Mai because Nakamura is apparenly one of the most common japanese last names there are and Mai means (at least in some writings) "real, genuine" which I thought is fitting because she learns to be herself.
> 
> Anyway, if you even read this self indulgent thing let me thank you. Thanks!


End file.
